Rotary engine



Patented NOV. l, I898.

N. J. MUEHN.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application filed Nov. 12, 1897.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

N6. 68,587. Patented Nov. I, I898.

N, J. MOEHN.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application filed Nov. 12, 1897.) (No Model.) v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I '9) 2 36 3] O :1 38" W m: nonms PETERS cu. FHOTD-LITHO WASNINGTGN, a.c.

TATES NICHOLAS J. MOEIIN, OF MILWVAUKEE, WVISCONSIN.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,587, dated November1,1898.

Application filed November 12 1897. Serial No. 65 8,234. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NICHOLAS J. MoEHN, of Milwaukee, in the county ofMilwaukee and State of WVisconsin, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part ofthis specification.

My invention has relation to improvements in rotary engines.

The object of the invention is to secure simplicity in the generalconstruction of the machine as well as an improved form of piston ofsuch construction that a continuous rotation thereof is insured.

With the above primary and other objects in view the invention consistsof the devices and parts or their equivalents, as hereinafter more fullyset forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse section throughthe center of the casing and through one of the series of peripheralpockets or recesses of the piston. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2of Fig. 1, the piston being shown in full lines. Fig. 3 is a fragmentarysection through one set of inlet-passages. Fig. 4 is a plan view of aportion of the casing, showing the oil-cups which feed oil tothelubricating-recesses of the piston. Fig. 5 is a section similar toFig. l of a modified form of construction. Fig. 6 is a section on theline 6 6 of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a detail of the piston.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 8 indicatesa cylindrical casing,which is shown as provided with the head-pieces 9 9, which arepreferably fitted in recesses 10 10, formed in the opposite side edgesof the cylindrical portion of the casing, so as to be flush with saidside edges. One or both of these heads may be detachably secured, and inthe present illustration of my invention I have shown both heads sosecured by means of bolts 11.

The head-pieces are similarlyconstructed,

outer end of the latter passage. The oil fed through the cup is free toflow through the passage 16 and thence through the passage to the shaftto be lubricated.

The numeral 18 indicates a main shaft. This shaft passes throughopenings in the end pieces 13 and through registering openings in theheads of the cylinder, said several registering openings beingsufficiently greater in diameter than the diameter of the shaft to leavea space around said shaft. The halfsections 14. 14 of the bearingsembrace the shaft, and these half-sections are held adj ustably theretoby means of adj listing-screws 10, passing through the bosses andengaging the half-sections of the bearings. By this means wear on thebearings or shaft may be readily taken up by means of the screws.

Fitted to the top portion of the casing 8 is a valve-casing 20, formedwith the longitudinal valve-chamber 21. This valve-casing may beseparate from and secured to the easing 8, as shown in the drawings, ormay be an integral part of said casing 8, if preferred.

Leading to the valve-chamber 21 is a valvecontrolled inlet-pipe 22,andfitting within said chamberisalongit'udinally-reciprocablevalve 23. Atdiametrically opposite points of the valve and valve-chamber are formedregistering recesses 24. 24 and 24 24, respectively, and in theseregistering recesses are fitted feathers 25 25. These registeringrecesses and feathers consequently maintain said valve in properposition within the valve-chamber. In the top portion of the valve isformed a chamber 26, to which the inlet-pipe 22 leads, and from thischamber extends a port 27. Connected to the valve is a valve-rod 28,which extends through one of the end pieces of the valvecasing and isencircled by a stuffing-box 29, fitted to the end of said valve-casing.Oonnected medially to the outer end of the valverod is anoperating-lever 30, the lower end of which is pivotally secured to aprojecting arm 31. The lever is adjacent to a segmental rack 32, whichrack is connected to and extends from the end piece of the valve-casing.The lever has pivoted thereto a dog 33, the end of which is adapted toengage any of the spaces between the teeth of the segmental rack inorder to hold the valve to adjusted po therein prevent the valve fromturning, and

sition. Both of the end pieces of the valve-casing are provided withopenings 34 34, to which are connected cocks 35 35. These openings whenthe cooks are opened permit the water of condensation to escape and alsopermit of the escape of any steam which might get in between the ends ofthe valve and the ends of the casing.

The numeral 36 indicates a piston which is mounted on the main shaftwithin the casing S. This piston is provided peripherally with two setsof pockets or recesses, one set located on one side of the center of theperiphery and the other set on the other side of the center of saidperiphery. The recesses of one set are indicated by the numeral 37 andthe recesses of the other set by the numeral 37'. It will be noticedthat these recesses alternate-that is to say, at the point where onerecess 37 terminates the other recess 37 begins. These recesses arepreferably and advisably formed with opposite side walls, as well as endwalls, so that when the piston is fitted within the cylindrical casingclosed chambers are formed which retain the steam therein. By thisconstruction the heads of the cylinder 8 could be omitted and successfulresults still obtained. In the upper portion of the cylindrical casingare provided the steaminlet passages 38 38, the inner ends of each ofwhich have branches communicating with the inner chamber of thepiston-casing. The outer ends of these passages register with ports 3939, formed in the bottom of the valve-casing. In the bottom of thepiston-casing are formed exhaust-ports 40 40, which lead to a commonpassage 41, said passage in turn leading to the final exhaust-opening42. The piston is also preferably provided peripherally with a pluralityof annular oil-recesses, three being shown in the accompanyingillustration. The central recess is indicated by the numeral 43 and isarranged between. the pockets or recesses 37 37 The other oil-recessesare indicated by the numerals 44 44 and are located near the outer edgesof the periphery of the piston. Fitted to openings in the pistoncasingare oil-cups 45, which oil-cups are in register with the respectiveoil-recesses and serve to conduct the lubricant to said recesses.

Suitable packings are provided for diiferout parts of the machinez'. e.,packings 46 46 are interposed between the end pieces of the valve-easingand the ends of said valve casing, another packing 47 is arrangedbetween the under side of the valve-casing and the top of thepiston-casing, packings 48 48 between the ends of the bosses 12 and theend pieces 13 of said bosses, and packings 49 49 are fitted in therecesses 10 10 of the piston-casing, between the walls of said recessesand the heads of the piston-casing. These latter packings effectuallyprevent the escape of steam from the piston-chamber.

The operation of my invention will now be explained. In the position ofthe parts shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings the port 27 of the valve is inregister with the port 39 in the bottom of the valve-casing and with thesteaminlet passage 38 of the piston-casing. The piston is also at such aposition as to receive the steam into one of the pockets or recesses 37of the piston through the port 38, branching from the passage 38. Thepiston will then be rotated, and the moment the pocket or recess 37 haspassed its branching port 38 the recess or pocket 37 of the other setwill be in position to receive steam through the other and correspondingbranching port 38 and so on continuously, so that a continuous rotationof the piston is secured. After the piston has rotated a sufficientdistance to bring the pocket or recess 37 which first received the steaminto register with the exhaust-port 40 the steam in said pocket willpass through said port, thence into the passage 41, and finally outthrough the exhaust 42. As the next succeeding pocket 37 comes intoposition to exhaust its steam is exhausted through the exhaust-port 40into the passage 41, and thence through the final exhaustopening 42.

\Vhen it is desired to reverse the engine, all that is necessary to bedone is to throw the operating-lever so as to bring the port 27 of thevalve into register with the port 39' in the bottom of the va1ve-casin gand the passage 38 in the piston-casing. The steam will then passthrough said registering port and passage and from the latter passagealternately through branching ports similar to 38 38" of passage 38 tothe respective pockets 37 and 37 The modified form of constructionillustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings differs from that shown inthe other figures in the provision of expansion-chambers 50 50, whichchambers'are formed with the upper shouh ders 51 51, against which thesteam acts expansively. This construction is perhaps best adapted forsecuring maximum power, as fixed shoulders are thereby formed for theexpanding steam.-

lVhile in the foregoing description I have only referred to steam as themedium of powersupply, it must be understood that this engine is alsoadapted for the use of gas, compressed air,or other analogous expansivefluid medium for producing power.

That I claim as my invention is-- In a rotary engine, the combination ofa revoluble piston provided peripherally with two sets of pockets orrecesses, the pockets or recesses of one set alternating in position tothe position of the pockets or recesses of the other set, a casing forthe piston, said casing provided with inlet-ports, and with an exhaust,one inlet-port extending in one direction for a short distancecircumferentially in the wall of the casing, and the other inletportextending in the opposite direction for a short distanceeircumferentially in the wall of the casing, the discharge end of eachinlet-port provided with two branches, which extend through the wall ofthe casin g, the ar- 'rangement being such that one recess of a settakes steam from one of the branches of one of the inlet-ports, when onerecess of the other set is cut off from taking steam from the otherbranch of said inlet-port, the steam in each recess of the sets adaptedto exhaust therefrom through the exhausoopening, as the alternatingrecesses are successively brought into register with theexhaust-opening, a valve-casing having an inlet-pipe leadin g thereto,and also provided with ports registerin g with the inlet-ports of thepiston-casing, and a valve within the valve-casing and having a portextending therethrough, said port on one adjustment of the valve adaptedto register with one of the ports of the valvecasing and with one of theinlet-ports of the in presence of two Witnesses.

NICHOLAS J. MOEHN.

Witnesses:

A. L. MORSELL,

ANNA V. FAUST;

